Office for reporting erring lawmakers eyed

MANILA, Philippines — The chairman of the ethics and privileges committee of the House of Representatives is eyeing the creation of an “Independent Office” where the public can directly file complaints against erring lawmakers.

According to 4Ps party-list Rep. JC Abalos, House members must be held accountable for their actions not just in the plenary, but outside the halls of Congress as well.

“This will be just like in the US where complainants and whistleblowers can file their complaints,” he said.

“This office will be non-political or non-partisan. I will also make sure that our House members will not employ any of their relatives in this office. They (Independent Office officials) will be the ones to write the reports and give recommendation to the Ethics panel,” he said.

Abalos, the grandson of former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos and nephew of former interior secretary Benhur Abalos, said the initiative is pursuant to the President’s message during his fourth State of the Nation Address to set a high standard for public servants.

“I will also make sure that all complaints are verifiable, where they have screened those frivolous from the serious ones. And this is because we want individuals with moral integrity and who have the good track record in public service,” Abalos noted.

“The public in general can report to this office congressmen who have exhibited unethical behavior, improper decorum including those who have violated the Code of Conduct among government officials,” he added.

Abalos’ proposal came in the wake of a congressman who went viral for watching e-sabong or online cockfighting on his phone while the SONA was ongoing.

AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones, the lawmaker in question, had been stripped of his Commission on Appointments (CA) membership as a result of the incident.

“He (Briones) was the representative of the minority bloc in the CA. But this issue came along. And he admitted being in the picture. That’s why he was replaced by Cong. Allan Ty of party-list LPGMA,” a highly reliable source told The STAR. — Neil Jayson Servallos